gavin-mchale – Tony Gentilcore

The 4 Steps to Never Ending Growth

My good friend and colleague, Gavin McHale, is back with another excellent guest post today. He’s been on a tear of late writing some stellar content for this site.

We’re all our own worst enemy, and for many, stepping outside our comfort zones and taking risks (calculated or not) in an attempt to grow our fitness business can be a daunting (if not sphincter clenching) task.

Gavin provides some sage advice how how to NOT let this happen moving forward.

Enjoy!

The 4 Steps to Never Ending Growth

It was the summer of 2014 when I first read a blog article alluding to the “laptop lifestyle.”

I was immediately hooked.

Not because I was hoping to sip mai tai’s on the beach while my clients worked their asses off to a shitty, templated training program like the article seemed to suggest would be the case, though.

While I had some thoughts of grandeur that my life would drastically change, I was mostly aware that this lifestyle the blogger spoke of wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies.

So I did what any 27-year-old personal trainer with zero business or marketing experience would do. I paid someone too much money to build me a (shitty) website and started an Instagram page for my business. I had no plan or idea what I was doing, but I knew this was part of the path to laptop lifestyle freedom.

It had to be, right?

I’ll throw a few blogs up on the website and make some educational posts on Instagram and they’ll be flinging their credit cards my way, salivating to buy my yet-to-be-figured-out online training programs.

I’m sure you already know that didn’t happen.

For the weeks and months following, I got crickets.

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So, like any savvy business person would do when no one is buying the high-priced 1-on-1 online training option, I lowered my prices. In fact, I went all the way from offering $1000 training services to $29 e-books.

Guess how many of those I sold.

And even though this little story is quite fun in hindsight, neither of those decisions were where I truly went wrong, but I’ll get to that in a minute.

As my online business continued to flounder and take up more and more of my time and energy, I began to become soured to the whole process.

My in-person training business was still ticking along as it had been for several years now.

6:30AM-12:30PM – chalk full semi-private sessions
3:30PM-6:30PM – mostly full private and semi-private sessions

Evening hockey practice to make some extra cash, toiling away in a freezing cold rink once a week all winter.

Rinse, repeat.

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The issue wasn’t even really the money at the time.

I was making enough to pay the bills and live comfortably.

I could pay the mortgage and put food on the table, but it was the way in which I was making it that wasn’t working for me.

I now realized my potential income was choked out by the amount of hours and energy I had, and that if I ever wanted a different lifestyle that included things like seeing my spouse or having a family, things would need to be different.

And as I continued to grind for 60 hours a week, while trying unsuccessfully to build a more sustainable business online during every single non-gym-floor hour, my ego led me to believe this wasn’t for me anymore.

What had started off as such a promising option 18 months before had become a stupid idea that “wasn’t for me.”

I told myself I was an in-person coach (and I was a good one) and that online coaching was stupid and only for those who couldn’t make it in person.

I thought I was taking the righteous road.

I told myself this was the path and stood strong in that belief.

Except I kept seeing other good coaches, whom I respected, rapidly building online businesses. They were leveraging their skills into something that kept the quality while also being scalable. Some got to the point they were so busy they had to give up their in-person clients so they could focus on working from anywhere, at any time while raking in the cash.

Seriously… what the actual fuck?

Let’s get back to what went wrong here. I was caught in the Vicious Cycle of Imposter Syndrome.

Let me explain the steps of this cycle.

1. Feel Fear

Evil forest: Fear from the dark — Hey, Tony here. I attempted to look for an “inspirational” fear image to put here, but opted for this one instead. Excuse me while I go destroy the back of my pants.

It was scary to do something I wasn’t good at.

I had always been good at everything I tried – school, hockey, in-person training – and when I wasn’t very good at marketing or using social media, I quit (because I was scared).

2. Make Excuses

The excuses comin’ out of me were so fast and believable, that I became an expert in them.

I was too good in-person.
I wasn’t built to work with people online; I’d rather be in person.
The market was saturated.
No one knew the guy from little old Winnipeg, Canada (as if location had anything to do with working online…).

I made such compelling arguments that even I started to believe them.

I see this in the trainers I speak to regularly. They have become so entrenched in this set of false truths that it’s hard to pull them out of it.

3. Don’t Take Action

Like I said earlier, I did take action originally. I started a social media page and made a website. I tried to sell training and e-books.

When none of it worked the way I expected it should, I stopped taking the actions required to build an online business.

At the very least, I half-assed them, telling myself they wouldn’t work before I even hit publish or post.

I stonewalled my success before it even had a chance.

When that action proved to be more trouble than it was worth (fulfilling my prophecy), I gave up on it before it had a chance to succeed.

And as you’ll see in the virtuous cycle of growth below, I missed one crucial step on the path to success, bringing it all crumbling down.

4. Expect Different Results

Through all of this, even though I was quickly spiraling and not seeing any results with the actions I was taking, I continued to hope for someone to fall through the cracks.

I continued to make the same type of boring, educational, poorly written posts, expecting for more likes or thinking “this one will go viral”.

And what’s worse than going all in on something and failing is half-assing it, hoping it will work out but deep down knowing what you’re doing is not working and will never work.

Because I didn’t look for another way, I just kept ramming a square peg into a round hole, while it kept trying to tell me to do something different.

I allowed a lack of results to strengthen the resolve that I wasn’t good enough.

Does that pattern sound vaguely familiar?

I know this pattern too well, not only because I repeated it over and over for 18 months (and still fall into it sometimes), but because I see and hear trainers – really good trainers – saying the exact same things to me on a weekly basis.

So the goal of my program is now to flip the script from the vicious cycle of imposter syndrome to the virtuous cycle of growth.

Virtuous Cycle of Growth

1. Feel Fear

Notice how this step is the same in both the vicious and virtuous cycle?

You’re never going to outrun fear. Fear will always be present. Your job is to feel it, harness it, and act anyway.

Fear and the parts of you that bring it to the surface are just doing their job. They’re just trying to keep you safe.

It’s an evolutionary trait that has kept humans alive and evolving for thousands of years.

But being afraid of getting attacked by a lion in the desert is a lot different than being scared to ask someone if they need help with their training.

One results in possible (probable) death.

The other results in a hit to the fragile ego.

Very different.

2. Take Messy Action (Knowing It Will Be Incomplete Or Wrong)

Action is a funny thing, because it’s often the thing that’s scariest, but also the thing that will help you see that it’s not as scary as you think.

I’ve noticed that we’re all very good fiction writers in our own brains. We pen tragic and imaginative stories about what will happen when we ask the person out, how our clients will react to a price increase and what all our friends will say behind our backs when we make that vulnerable post.

And the only way to know that’s not the case, is to take the fucking action.

Ask them out.
Raise your prices (more than you think).
Make the post.

The messier, the better.

Because I never learned anything from an A+ on a test. But, if you handed me back a D, I’d sure as shit study harder next time.

3. Seek Feedback

Here’s the super important step I missed in my first attempt at building an online business.

I felt the fear and took action anyway. Maybe I was so naive that the fear didn’t even register, but I can give myself that.

What I missed was asking for feedback, or even looking for feedback. The pure lack of engagement on my social media content was trying to give me feedback. The lack of clicks and website visits after the initial surge from family and friends was trying to give me feedback.

The overall lack of any measurable results was trying to give me feedback.

But I was too proud to see it.

See, I always thought the only feedback came from parents or coaches or people who otherwise knew better than me.

I thought I had to ask, but in this case I had no one to ask.

And while a coach or mentor is absolutely valuable as an outside observer, feedback can be found after every single intentional action you take.

Did it produce the results I hoped for? Why or why not?

Keep asking questions and you’ll get the feedback you need to either change course or double down on what you’re doing.

I look at feedback as the final number in those annoying high school combination locks. You can do everything else – take messy action in the face of fear, but without feedback, you’re left running around like an idiot doing everything for everyone and never knowing what’s worked.

4. Recalibrate and Take More Messy Action

Here’s where the virtuous cycle really takes off.

Once you take an action (any action, really) and seek feedback, your next action is even more calibrated. The more you can repeat this process, the more calibrated and purpose-driven your actions will become.

In this scenario, there is no way you can lose.

You will either hit it out of the park, or you’ll learn, tinker and keep iterating until you hit it out of the park.

Closing Thoughts

So, if you’re anything like I was back in my laptop lifestyle chasing days, things are probably going pretty well for you.

I will leave you with one final piece of advice before signing off, because the drive to take action on a blog post can be low when things are going pretty well.

The question you must ask is, “Is this what I want to be doing in 10 years?”

Is this my version of my “best life”?

If it is, GREAT!

Use that as feedback and double the fuck down.

If it’s not, then it’s time you take some action, no matter how scared you are, towards the lifestyle and business you truly want.

And believe me, it is possible.

After several coaches and tens of thousands of dollars invested, I built a hybrid business that paid me 6-figures a year and allowed me to travel for 3 weeks at a time while my clients still got great results and were waiting for me when I came back.

If I can do this, so can you.

About the Author

As a Kinesiology graduate, Gavin McHale quickly realized that following the traditional business model would lead to trading more time for more money.

Over the course of 8 years, Gavin built a 6-figure hybrid training business before founding the Maverick Coaching Academy in 2019.

Since then, Gavin has left the gym and gone all in helping other strength coaches build their businesses. He has made it his mission to fix the broken fitness industry and connect other amazing humans to the highest version of themselves.

Check out his FREE course for trainers, coaches and therapists that will kickstart your path to a more sustainable business.

The Coach’s Playground Podcast

MaverickCoachingAcademy.ca

IG – @gavinmchale1

May 4, 2022 Tony

business fitness business

The Real Reason None of Those Business Tactics Have Worked

I’m in Vegas baby!

Alas, my take on debauchery is to stay up past my bedtime to watch a Cirque Du Soleil show¹ and to then trek back to my hotel room to watch House Hunters on HGTV.

I like to live life dangerously.

I’m actually here because I was invited to put on a full-day staff in-service for a local gym. I flew in Thursday morning and am heading back to Boston on Sunday. A quick trip for sure, but one that allots me plenty of introvert time.

To that end, today I have another guest post from Gavin McHale who’s been on fire lately with his contributions to the site.

I hope you’re enjoying his content, because I know I am. Especially today’s post. It really punched me in the face.

The Real Reason None of Those Business Tactics Have Worked

When I was a young buck in the fitness industry, I was full of piss and vinegar and I wanted to make sure my career was a success.

For an entire year after I graduated University, I studied blogs like this one, Dean Somerset, Kelly Starrett and others on T-Nation. I scoured the internet to find new things I could add to my training toolbox. If I wasn’t on the gym floor, I was reading a blog or textbook about being on the gym floor.

Then came the business building blogs. I read every article on the PTDC. I followed John Romaniello and Craig Ballantyne. I was eating it all up and reading everything I could.

And my business grew.

Most likely, it grew by happenstance – because I was good at what I did. It grew naturally, through word of mouth, as I’m sure your’s has.

But I didn’t have a hot clue as to why it was growing, or how to repeat the process to build a high paying, successful business.

Plus, I was starting to see the “trading time for money” model bumping up against the lifestyle I wanted to live. I was in my mid twenties – I wanted to travel.

I had a new girlfriend and I kinda wanted to see her.

I knew I wanted kids eventually…²

Was the 6-1, 4-8 grind really going to be how I lived the rest of my life?

Plus, I was making a pretty average salary that I could’ve made in most 9-5’s with a university degree.

So, I turned my attention to growing the online side of my business. This would solve all my problems. I’d be able to help more people, work less and earn more money.

This was the ticket.

I slapped together a (terrible) website and started up an instagram page for my business. I assumed people would just bring me their credit cards.

But they didn’t. It was crickets.

I toiled away for nearly a year trying to build my online business in this way, while still working crazy hours on the gym floor to pay the bills.

That’s when I signed up for business coaching.

I paid more money than I had and over the year-long program, I took away a lot of tools.

How to price my programs, how to write website copy, how to post on social media and use lead magnets and create an email list.

Keep in mind, this was 2016, before business coaching was even cool.

After a year of that and some minor success, I jumped to another business coach.

More ideal client building.
More social media tactics and email list hacks.
Lots of sales training.

By this time, I had invested nearly $30,000 and probably could’ve written a textbook on ideal client building, copywriting and sales.

I knew this shit front to back.

And, truth be told, my business was doing quite well. I made pretty good money and about 30% of it was online, giving me some freedom to live my life and travel.

But seriously… what the fuck man?

$30K and tons of work and all I got was an above average 9-5 corporate salary while still working mind boggling hours and falling asleep during movies on date night?

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That couldn’t be right.

I was on a one-way train to burnout.

Tons of hours on the gym floor coupled with every other waking hour on my computer or phone, scratching and clawing my way to a few more dollars a month.

I had every tactic and strategy I could ever need, but I was still left searching for more. I continued to look for business blogs and other coaches who could teach me more hacks and tactics.

That’s when I was slapped in the face with reality, because I was looking for the wrong things.

I had met a coach (and actually slept on his couch) in my first business coaching experience whose business was now taking off, two years later.

While I was doing marginally better, he had gone from essentially zero income when we met (and living off his savings) to nearly $1,000,000 a year.

What the fuck was I doing wrong?

His content was about more than just business tactics. He talked about self talk and mindset and the subconscious brain – things I had never really heard about beyond “play with more confidence” in my hockey days.

It was 2018 and I had been at this online business building thing for three years now. This was the last ditch effort. This was make-or-break.

I signed up, dropped another 5-figures in hopes this would be the ticket to the business and the lifestyle I wanted.

And in the first week of the coaching experience, my entire world view was shattered when I learned about how my language affects my self-talk, which affects my belief and my habits, which then affects my success (or lack thereof).

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I mean, we all know this deep down, but none of us ever really face the reality that we are in control (and, therefore, at fault) for everything that happens in our life, good and bad.

I certainly never took responsibility for the place I was at and the results I had up until that point.

As I dug in further to the new program, he talked about my subconscious brain and the limiting beliefs I held that were like an emergency brake on my success.

I was trying to drive a Ferrari with the emergency brake on.

I didn’t like it, and when he personally challenged me on a coaching call midway through the course, I checked out.

All that money was circling the drain because I couldn’t face the fact that my own brain and my own beliefs were the reason nothing was working for me.

Anytime I had ever failed, I blamed others. My hockey coaches never gave me a chance. My former business coaches didn’t give me the right tactics for my business.

And now… I was left with nothing but the face in the mirror.

Luckily, this particular course is available for life. So even though I copped out and my coaching calls had run out, I could still come back to it.

After about 6 months, I came back.

I realized that the only way forward, the only way to get what I wanted, was through some really tough stuff.

I could either turn away and continue with a mediocre business (which is totally fine, by the way) or I could drop my shoulder and lean in.

I had to face my fears and literally change my brain if I wanted to have success.

And this is where, after now coaching nearly 100 fitness professionals in building their businesses since 2019, I see most of you struggling.

Information, strategy and tactics are important.
You need to know how to write words that help people take action.
You need to know how to communicate your value in conversations and content.
You need to have an excellent client journey and provide an amazing service.

But, without belief and a mindset that is helping you move in the right direction, none of that matters. None of it will get you what you truly want, whether that’s a fat bank account or a fulfilling life, or both.

You’ll be revving the engine and spinning your tires in the driveway.

This is why the majority of business coaching programs get people some results, but not enough to warrant the gnarly price tag.

They give you all the tactics and strategies you could ever dream of.

But it’s all built on an expectation that you already have the belief and confidence in yourself that many don’t. And when things inevitably get tough or don’t go as planned, they can’t offer anything more than “try harder” and “do it more.”

I’m not here for that.

So, allow me to leave you with one actionable item you can take from here before you go.

Your language plays a massive role in your outcomes. Your self-talk guides your thoughts. Your thoughts turn into your beliefs over time.

So if you want to shed old, self-sabotaging patterns and build belief, you must go to the source – your language.

There are three things we catch our clients saying inside the Maverick Coaching Academy, and they are not allowed.

Try

What’s that Yoda saying? “Do or do not, there is no try.” Case closed.

I Can’t

By saying you can’t, you are immediately shirking responsibility for that thing. You can, you’re just choosing not to. If it mattered enough to you, you would.

I Should

Whenever you say you should do something, it tells your subconscious brain that you’re doing it against your own will. It says, “I don’t want to, but some outside source is making me so I guess I should.”

Hmmm, doesn’t sound too powerful to me.

So, for the next week, I challenge you to watch your language. Notice when and how often you’re saying try, can’t and should.

Then, without judgment, simply think about how you could phrase that differently and note how much different it feels when you do.

This lesson is literally the first lesson inside our paid course. It is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what we teach inside Maverick Coaching Academy. If you’d like to learn more, follow me on Instagram and send me a message saying you read this.

I’d love to hear your story and how the language challenge goes for you, so don’t be a stranger.

Thank you for reading, I hope I’ve left you with something valuable.

About the Author

As a Kinesiology graduate, Gavin McHale quickly realized that following the traditional business model would lead to trading more time for more money.

Over the course of 8 years, Gavin built a 6-figure hybrid training business before founding the Maverick Coaching Academy in 2019.

IG – @gavinmchale1

The Coach’s Playground Podcast

MaverickCoachingAcademy.ca

March 4, 2022 Tony

Broke Penniless Man With Moneyless Empty Pocket

fitness business

2 Keys to I Can’t Afford It: Especially Around the Holidays

I sincerely hope everyone out there had a splendid holiday season filled with copious amounts of love, friendship, and cookies.

Admittedly, I am a tad late with posting this article from TG.com regular, Gavin McHale, but the message is one that should resonate with most fitness professionals regardless of the time of year.

I.e., discussing ~~detox diets, WTF actually happened in Matrix Resurrections?~~ money with potential clients.

I think this will help a lot of trainers out there.

2 Keys to “I Can’t Afford It”: Especially Around the Holidays

If you’ve ever heard “I don’t have the money right now,” or “I’ll sign up when things settle down,” pull up a chair, you’re going to want to keep reading.

I have a very clear memory of a sales conversation that changed everything for me. I was selling personal training at a middling price point and sales were a breeze.

My schedule was filling up, but my bank account wasn’t.

Here’s how it normally went: Client walks in, referred by a friend or family. I show them the gym, with the music bumpin’ and others just like them working out, take them through a movement assessment, drop some knowledge and make them feel better, then share the price.

They were sold.

They were sold before they even walked in. I just had to walk through an open door. I was more of an order taker than a salesperson.

Then, I made the move over to selling on the phone and added an online component to the program, increasing the price.

My first call was with a former teammate of mine now doing investment banking in Toronto, Canada’s money capital.

As we moved through the call, it became very clear he was making excellent money – the stock market had been good to him. However, he had let his once athletic body go and could barely make it up and down the ice in rec hockey anymore.

He was a perfect fit for my new program, built for former athletes wanting to get back to the glory days.

When we got to the pricing, I shared my new and improved price of $2000 for a 10-week program.

He resisted.

“Ah, Gav… that’s not in the cards right now. I’ll have to wait until the New Year when I get my bonus.”

I knew this guy was earning upwards of $200,000 a year, buying lavish dinners out most nights and otherwise living the life of a young man with money.

But he couldn’t stomach $2k to get his energy and youth back?

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Something wasn’t adding up and I was thrown, letting him off the phone with a “maybe later.”

Sometimes, I’ll admit it, it is about the money. And that’s okay…

More often than not, it has NOTHING to do with money.

It has everything to do with fear.

Fear of failure.
Fear the program won’t work for them.
Fear that you’re not the leader they need.
Fear of the unknown.

So often, our potential clients miss out on life changing experiences because of fear. They get in their own way and say no to things they know they desperately need.

If you know you can help this person, it’s your responsibility to help them take that scary leap into the great unknown. It’s on you to hold their hand as they jump.

Have a Human Conversation

If they object, the most important thing is to have a human conversation with the person on the other end of the phone. It’s okay to disagree, but you’re not butting heads with one another, trying to go separate ways.

You both want the same thing – for them to succeed and grow beyond what they’ve been able to do before. So instead of going opposite directions, think about being a few steps ahead, reaching out your hand and asking them to come along with you.

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By staying calm and appearing certain, you position yourself as the leader that they desperately need. Their brain is freaking out because up until the point you mentioned money, they wanted and needed this program.

Once you regain rapports by empathizing with their situation (I’m sure you’ve had difficult decisions to make in the past), you can now start to help them see that their decision making compass is what got them to this place, in desperate need of help.

I call this the Dickens Method, thanks to his famous Christmas story.

We’re going to help them see the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

In fact, the entire call up to this point should’ve been helping them see the problems they’re having right now. The ghost of Christmas Present should have punched them in the face and how their reality is not in line with their goals and desires.

Now, we must help them recognize the default in their past behaviors and help them see that repeating those behaviors again will only lead to the same place.

Remember, this most likely isn’t about the money…

Simply ask, “How has this belief affected your decisions about your health and fitness in the past?”

They may have made a bad investment in the past… Maybe a bad trainer, a treadmill that sits unused or a gym membership that they’re still paying for but have yet to use.

It’s your job to help them see why that won’t happen again with you.

On the other hand, they may have shied away from other opportunities in the past because they thought they couldn’t afford it or they felt like they weren’t ready or it wasn’t the right time…

Notice the pattern.

You should have leverage to pull from earlier in the conversation as to why they’re not where they want to be, and if you can frame it for them to see that the main reason is this built-in lack of belief, you can help change their perspective to one that’s ready to make a change.

And since you’ve covered the ghost of Christmas past and present already, you can now show them the ghost of Christmas future, helping them paint a picture of what their future may look like…

“I want you to look forward to 6 months into the future… How will your life look any different than it does now if you don’t make a change? If you don’t do this, do you think your financial situation will get better and you’ll be able to invest then? Do you think your fitness level will improve in that time without support?”

What if we could help you move closer to your desired result in the first month working together, would that put your mind at ease as to making this investment?”

These are all questions they’ve probably never thought to ask themselves, and although they may seem forward or ‘too pushy’ to those of us averse to sales, you’re on the verge of helping someone make the biggest and most terrifying decision of their life.

It’s on you to ask.

The Jiu Jitsu Rule of Sales

When a jiu jitsu coach was asked by a student how to get out of a certain headlock position, the coach responded with an answer no one was expecting.

“The best way to get out of that headlock is to avoid getting into it in the first place.”

In other words, if you’re in it, you’ve already made a lot of mistakes and put yourself in a tough position.

So, here are 3 ways to make sure you don’t get put in the headlock of a price objection:

1. Make Sure They FEEL Their Pain

Allow them to fully understand the prison they’re currently living in and the problems it’s causing in their life and the lives of others they care about

How is their lack of energy affecting their kids?
How is their low self confidence showing up in their relationship?
How is their weight gain affecting their own self worth?

Although these questions are difficult to ask, you must help them understand the scope of the problem, so they’ll be willing to take the steps to fix it.

2. Help Them See the Gap Between Their Current Life and Their Ideal Life

Once you’ve opened up the pain and taken them deep into their emotions related to that, it’s time to flip the script and help them paint a picture of their ideal future. Then, you can recap it in a way that emphasizes the difference between these two states.

3. Finally, You Must Learn to COMMUNICATE YOUR VALUE In a Way That Shows Your Prospect the Direct Benefits to Them

If they care about their kids, tailor every piece of what you do to how it will affect their kids. If they’re scared of losing their identity, make every pillar of your program about maintaining that identity or getting it back.

It’s not enough to tell them what your program is or what they get for their money. It has to be relayed in a way that they can see themselves benefitting from it.

For example, think about pitching the app you use to deliver your training program.

OPTION 1: “You’ll get set up on our app and all your workouts are available there for you. We do 3 days a week of strength training programming.”

OPTION 2: “Imagine walking into the gym, having everything you need in the palm of your hand. Exercises, sets and reps so you know exactly what’s next. Exercise demos are built in so you never have to worry about doing it wrong. We provide that peace of mind with this program.”

OPTION 3 (added by TG) “If you don’t use my app, Rambo will be angry. You don’t want Rambo to be angry.”

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NOTE: 100% go with Gavin’s options.

See the difference in how I present the exact same thing?

This is not about persuading someone or swindling someone into something that will only benefit you. Overcoming objections is about finding a win-win situation for everyone.

We both know that waiting until until “things settle down” is not only going to set them back months in their progress, but it’ll most likely lead into the next “life thing” that will keep them from signing up.

There will never be a perfect time to make a huge life decision, but if you’re there to guide them through and bring certainty, they can make the best decision for them and you’ve created a win-win for everyone!

Finally

A great sales or enrollment conversation is really the first coaching call, holding them accountable and allowing them to see just how you can help them in the long run.

This stuff is literally the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what we teach inside Maverick Coaching Academy. If you’d like to learn more, follow me on Instagram and let me know you read this – I can send you our sales framework, which our clients have used to sell close to $1,000,000 in training programs, absolutely free.

About the Author

As a Kinesiology graduate, Gavin McHale quickly realized that following the traditional business model would lead to trading more time for more money.

Over the course of 8 years, Gavin built a 6-figure hybrid training business before founding the Maverick Coaching Academy in 2019.

IG – @gavinmchale1

The Coach’s Playground Podcast

maverickcoachingacademy.ca

January 3, 2022 Tony

business

The #1 Reason Your Fitness Business Isn’t Growing

Growing a fitness brand/business can be a daunting endeavor, especially in an age where everyone is vying for everyone else’s attention.

This is never more apparent than online

For whatever reason some professionals are unwilling to lean into the power of social media with regards to growing their business, and I get it…

…it’s nothing but one big eye roll half the time.

In today’s EXCELLENT guest post by TG.com regular contributor, Gavin McHale, he showcases a few simple strategies you can use to “earn” the eyes of potential customers.

HINT: It doesn’t entail shirtless pics or more glute exercises…;o)

It’s the Offer, Stupid

No, I’m not calling you stupid. Original Gangster of Marketing Dan Kennedy is. And that’s way worse, in my opinion.

“If something’s not working in your business; it’s the offer, stupid.”

The one common thread I’ve noticed through my own experience owning a fitness business, and a central factor in why I decided to move from training clients to mentoring coaches, is that a lot of people in our industry have a business that is not working that well for them.

Their business is not giving coaches the return on investment it should be for the massive amount of work they’re doing and skills they have.

This is a big problem; a bleeding-neck problem that I’m on a mission to fix.

I actually spoke on the topic of how to deliver your services in a way that serves you and your clients better in THIS article several weeks ago, but this article will speak to the work done before a client even knows who you are.

The point of both remains the same:

If you keep doing things the way they’ve always been done, you will be stuck doing all the work and seeing little to no reward while watching others in your industry sit back and relax while the new clients roll in.

We both know you’re better than them at what you do (if not at least as good), so why shouldn’t you get a piece of the pie, too?

It’s the offer, stupid.

Unless you truly dislike social media (and you have every reason to – I’ve seen the Social Dilemma), you need to see it as a tool that can provide your business with near unlimited potential new clients, if used properly.

But just like a hacksaw in the hands of my 3-year old nephew, used poorly it can be a waste of time and downright dangerous.

The epitome of stupid: the recent “crate challenge” craze.

I’ve seen too many coaches actually leave the industry or work themselves into oblivion simply because they refused to get their shit together and figure out social media, writing it off as no good.

But exactly how we fix that problem is where the real gold is buried. Because out of the thousands upon thousands of personal trainer’s instagram pages and websites that I’ve seen over the past two years, all but about twelve of them have completely botched this part.

I say that to outline the opportunity at hand. If no one is doing this right and people are still somehow getting clients, imagine if you did it right?

When someone taps over to your profile or through to your website after seeing a post they like, it’s the difference between, “Oh shit, that’s me and I want that” and “I’m bored, moving on.”

Which could mean the difference between a new follower or client application in your inbox and another opportunity slipping through the cracks.

So, if you’re not making as much money as you should be in your business.
If you’re not getting your message out there with the work you’re putting in.
If this whole social media thing is just confusing the hell out of you…

Listen up.

Your offer, that I’ve been harping on about for nearly 500 words now, is essentially a statement that tells your audience or anyone who makes their way into your corner of the internets what the hell you do.

And the majority of trainers and coaches miss the target. In fact, they’re often putting holes in the wall beside the target.

Your offer will show up in one of three places most often.

The First, Is On Your Social Media Bio

If you’re like me and use instagram for your business, this is where it’ll show up. Beside your tiny little picture, under your follower count and wedged within 150 characters.

It’s the thing that will ideally either keep someone hanging around and maybe even tossing you a follow or turn them off completely.

The enemy here is indifference.

The Second Place Someone May Find Your Offer Is On Your Website Homepage

We hope it says, “Stick around, grab a beer and hangout awhile” but it more often says, “I have no idea what I’m doing, so you should probably just leave.”

Finally, the third will be the most surprising. Your offer should show up whenever you’re asked what you do for a living.

Y’know, like in real life. Wild, right?

If you’ve ever been at a party or family event and seen the deadpan confusion wash over someone’s face when you respond that you’re a personal trainer, you know what I mean.

“Oh, that’s nice…”

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A better use of that valuable real estate, especially if they’re anywhere near or may know some ideal clients would be something like, “I teach former athletes how to look and feel young again.”

That just hits different, ya know?

Here are the three crucial components to a good offer:

Your Offer Has to Speak to a Specific Persona

And remember, you are not your ideal client. You may have been in the past, but that was before you figured out everything you know now. You are an expert and know way more about your specific expertise than they do. Use words they resonate with, not words you want to see.

And before you go commenting that you know your person is a 30-40 year old married woman with 2 kids, I’m not just talking about demographics. That’s important, but it’s certainly not the end of the story.

And, it doesn’t have to be limited to just that. Using our example above, a former athlete could be 22 and aged out of college or 45 with kids and a mortgage.

But where they’re similar, and where you can go deeper and really understand who they are, is by taking a look at their psychographics.

What is your ideal client’s biggest problem, in their mind?
What else have they tried to fix their current problem that hasn’t worked?
What frustrates them the most about what they’ve tried?
What are they afraid of most?
What do they desire more than anything else in the World?

Now we’re getting somewhere…

To That End, Your Offer Needs to Solve a Problem They Want Solved

It needs to be something they actually want to solve, not just what you think is important to them.

I’ll repeat that… because it’s the number one problem with most attempts at offers.

Your offer needs to be something they actually want to solve, not just what you think is important to them.

You may think they want to heal their injuries, but they really just want to feel young again.
You may think they want to lose 10 pounds, but they really want to feel sexy again.
You may think they want to get stronger, but they really want the confidence that brings.

Keep asking why it matters to them until you can’t answer it anymore.

Finally, Your Offer Needs to Make a Promise

I know, I know. It depends.

That’s the answer I’ve heard time and time again from other fitness professionals about a myriad of topics, but while that does make sense for a lot of potential solutions, it doesn’t put butts in the seats.

Your offer has to promise them something. You will get nowhere with wishy washy, it depends, maybe, kinda, sorta type promises, especially in 2021 when the waters are full of other people fishing for the same catch.

You have to take a stand. You have to show confidence.

You have ask yourself, what’s the biggest promise I know I can fulfill with my coaching service?

If you head over to my instagram page (or just look below), you’ll see that I don’t promise to turn you into a 7-figure coach (like some people out there).

That’s because I don’t know that I can do that… yet.

But I do know I can turn you into a real business owner, not just a coach trying to make some money.

The real secret to all this, and the reason I can give it away for free without worry that I’ll be shooting myself in the foot, is that this takes lots of time and effort doing research on your ideal clients and what they actually want.

And most people simply aren’t willing to do that.

But here’s the exact formula if you want a solid offer:

Spend about a week asking former clients, current client and yourself the questions outlined above. Really get to know the person you want to help and, in the process, learn what they identify as. HINT: no one identifies as a busy professional in their mind
Figure out the problem they want solved by continuing to ask “why?” until you can’t answer it anymore. Ideally, interview some people about it.
Narrow down your offer into a simple, yet powerful “I help” statement that looks something like this:

I help [CLIENT IDENTIFIER] [SOLVE SPECIFIC PROBLEM]

Now go slap that all over your social media and website and practice it in the mirror in case your cousin, Tom asks you at Christmas dinner. Remember, his buddy’s wife’s sister may be looking for exactly what you do.

About the Author

As a Kinesiology graduate, Gavin McHale quickly realized that following the traditional business model would lead to trading more time for more money.

Over the course of 8 years, Gavin built a 6-figure hybrid training business before founding the Maverick Coaching Academy in 2019.

IG – @gavinmchale1

The Coach’s Playground Podcast

maverickcoachingacademy.ca

November 10, 2021 Tony

fitness business personal training

The Hybrid Training Model For Personal Trainers

My man Gavin McHale is back with another excellent guest post this month. If you missed his last article on lead generation you can check that out HERE.

This month, as the title implies, is all about how personal trainers can (and should) lean into more of a “hybrid” training model that doesn’t rely on IN-PERSON training only and allows you to better leverage your time in order to 1) make more money and 2) resist the urge to throw your face into an ax from work overload.

Give it a read. It will make a lot of sense and I hope afterward it’ll provide some inspiration to you to make some subtle changes in your approach to the services you provide.

The Hybrid Training Model For Personal Trainers

I climbed into my truck and sat back with a huge exhale. I had just finished another ‘day at the office’ and, as usual, I was absolutely exhausted.

It was early afternoon, I had been up since 5AM and on the training floor since 6:30, eating and drinking coffee on the go. I was finishing up my 4th cup of coffee for the day, knowing it would affect my sleep but needing it to prop myself up for the evening full of clients that I had in about 4 hours.

via GIPHY

The ‘00’s Pop Punk’ playlist had played at least three times through on repeat that morning.

The plan was to whip home for some lunch and some work on the business before heading back to the gym – another few hours of client sessions on deck. In reality, I knew I’d get home, crush some food and pass out for the entirety of my time at home, barely dragging myself out of bed to get there on time.

I loved my training clients and I got to provide them with the best hour of their day on the training floor.

And, by this point, I got to do it a lot.

I had built my personal training business up to nearly 30 clients, with upwards of 25 semi-private and private training sessions a week.

Business was buzzing… but the thoughts started creeping in…

via GIPHY

My girlfriend of two years and I barely got to see one another. When we did, I couldn’t even keep my eyes open for a full movie and had to leave any social gatherings by 9PM thanks to my 5AM alarm the next day.

How long was she willing to put up with an absent partner?

I knew I wanted to have kids at some point in my life, and I wanted to be the dad who could do school drop-offs and pick-ups and coach the sports teams; not the one who always ‘had to work’.

We loved to travel, even just for extended weekends. But I couldn’t enjoy my time away, panicking about lost revenue and possibly unhappy clients.

But the worst part was that I wasn’t making the money I knew I could be. I wasn’t having the impact I knew I could.

I was making a decent paycheck every month, but it was just enough to pay my bills and allow me a bit of freedom. I was pinching pennies and living paycheck to paycheck while working a ton, with a university degree and numerous certifications behind my name.

And honestly? I was just fucking tired…. ALL. THE. TIME.

It didn’t add up.

Especially since the only solution I knew was to take on more clients and do more of the same… something I didn’t have the capacity for without sending myself down a spiral to burning out and being single well before my 30th birthday.

That’s when I was forced to get creative.

I began by asking myself the one question every single service provider should start with (I was just a little behind the curve): How can I best serve my clients?

via GIPHY

(GIF added by me, Tony, because if nothing else I keep thing professional.)

I knew they loved their workouts and I loved working with them, but the majority of them weren’t getting the results they wanted because that 1-3 hours a week they spent with me would never offset the poor lifestyle choices they were making during the other 165+ hours every week.

Let’s be real, even though I loved doing it, grinding it out on little sleep and caffeine was not the best service I could provide. The cup I was pouring from… was empty and I didn’t have the systems in place to help them change their lifestyle beyond a couple sweat sessions a week.

And since I had no more capacity for more training sessions and they didn’t have the time to come to the gym every day,

I had to find a better way.

Enter, the Hybrid Training Model

This model created a win-win for me and my clients.

The win for me is that I got to stabilize my monthly income by charging for an entire package instead of session by session and got some of my time back, all while providing a better service to my clients.

The win for them? Straight up better results without having to schlep to the gym and back every day or pay thousands a month for a trainer.

This model would allow me to continue doing what I did best, training clients on the gym floor, but not have to live there, eating every meal out of tupperware, trying not to spill it on the turf and taking bites between coaching cues.

The hybrid model I built and refined since includes 5 key areas:

In-person coaching
Regular activity programming
Nutritional guidance or intervention
Belief and habit building
Accountability

If you look at the traditional training model – the one that left me half sleeping in my truck at the end of the work day, I covered maybe 1 or 2 of those bases… at best.

And, in most cases, the trainer isn’t being paid for anything but their time spent in the gym with each client. You can say the pricing reflects programming time and nutritional information and accountability, but it really doesn’t.

When your clients are paying session by session, they see the value in having you in the room coaching them.

That’s it.

Your clients are also financially incentivized by this model to actually miss sessions. If they’re low on energy or just don’t feel like it, they’ll miss a session and either save money that month or stretch their current package out over a longer period.

Bottom line: your income is unstable and they don’t get the best service.

In order to build this model out and be able to market and sell it, you have to ask yourself a lot of questions and completely reshape the way you provide your service and charge for it.

1. In-Person Coaching

How often do they need instruction lifting weights?
How often do they want to come to the gym?
Do you have the space and ability to do semi-private training with them?

2. Regular Activity Programming

Basically, this includes any part of the programming that doesn’t require you to be there, coaching them.

Can you program some or most of their workouts to be done on their own?
Do they have a gym membership or access to equipment at home?
Are there parts of the program where they don’t need to be in the gym like walking, running or mobility work?

3. Nutritional Guidance or Intervention

Any type of transformational program is incomplete without some form of nutritional guidance. If they already trust you enough to train them, then you’re probably the best person to guide them through some basic nutrition principles.

For most general population clients and goals, this is simple habit building. No need to go too deep and risk moving outside your scope.

You can either build your own curriculum or outsource this completely. When I was coaching, I outsourced this to Precision Nutrition and set my clients up on their year-long ProCoach software.

4. Belief and Habit Building

My most successful clients were the ones who made massive mindset shifts throughout my program. Over the time we worked together, they became better versions of themselves, which provided the outcome they wanted.

In my opinion, this is a non-negotiable in any coaching program, especially if you want to stand out from the Pelotons and the Orange Theory’s.

What do they need to learn to be able to shed their old skin and step into a new, better version of themselves?
Can you create a simple weekly or bi-weekly curriculum over 2-3 months that will allow them to do that?

5. Accountability

Finally, accountability is what they’re actually paying for.

Let’s be real – everything you (and I) coach can be found with a quick Google search if they know where to look.

Information and even education is no longer valuable like it used to be. What is? Accountability and a safe space to fuck up and learn.

Plus, the more skin they have in the game (i.e. the more you charge for this full spectrum service), the more accountable they’ll be.

I’m not sure how many free downloads you have sitting on your laptop, but I have plenty that I haven’t even opened… no skin in the game.

In Its Simplest Form, This is the Hybrid Coaching Model

I won’t lie, this will be more work upfront for you. But, as I learned throughout this process, if you can “work hard once” setting everything up, you make your life a whole lot easier down the road.

This will allow you to charge a monthly price for the whole package and stabilize your pay while actually working less and giving your clients the best chance at seeing the results they’re looking for.

No more never-ending selling of 10 or 20-session packages and no more needing to send out the same resources over and over to every single client who asks about keto or intermittent fasting.

You run the show and make sure all the bases are covered. They get the best of what you can offer and you get the most out of your time, energy and expertise.

About the Author

As a Kinesiology graduate, Gavin McHale quickly realized that following the traditional business model would lead to trading more time for more money.

Over the course of 8 years, Gavin built a 6-figure hybrid training business before founding the Maverick Coaching Academy in 2019.

IG – @gavinmchale1

The Coach’s Playground Podcast

maverickcoachingacademy.ca

October 12, 2021 Tony

fitness business

The New Way to Generate Leads as a Coach

There’s no set algorithm to gaining and building a larger audience.

It’s never been easier to be seen or heard in today’s world.

We have any number of avenues at our disposal (and fingers tips): podcasts, social media, blogs, YouTube, cute kitty pictures. They all work.

That said, it’s never been harder to get seen or heard.

Everyone is vying for everyone else’s attention and we’re surrounded by bright shiny objects; it’s growing harder and harder to focus our attention on any one thing or individual.

Today’s guest post by fitness business fixer-upper, Gavin McHale, sheds light on a component of lead generation that many fit pros fail to “cash in” on.

Enjoy!

The New Way to Generate Leads as a Coach

Have you ever seen the movie, Inception?

It’s been touted as one of the best movies of the 2010’s, starring Leo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon Levitt and revolving around their ability to extract information through a shared dream world, literally stealing people’s dreams.

In the movie, Leo’s character is tasked with a near impossible job, implanting an idea into someone’s subconscious, also known as “inception.”

If you want your brain to turn into a pretzel after 2+ hours, go check it out.

Today, I’m going to teach you about audience hacking, or more professionally named, strategic partnerships… while hacking Tony’s audience.

Woooooooah.

In a World where it’s becoming more and more difficult to stand out – an online world that is packed, shoulder to shoulder with professionals trying to shout over one another and a consumer base so sick and tired of hearing it and unsure of who to listen to or why they should care about what most coaches are posting, this is the next wave of ‘organic’ marketing efforts.

So, let me start with my journey to get here:

In 2016, while still in the fitness industry, I attended a conference in Minneapolis, MN hosted by Tony and Dean Somerset

Note From TG: It was the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint. I don’t want to put words into Gavin’s mouth, but I’m pretty sure it changed his life. You know how in the movie The Matrix when Morpheus gave Neo the choice to choose between the red pill and the blue one in and how that forever changed Neo’s life? Well, that’s what basically went down in Minnesota five years ago.³

I introduced myself to both Tony and Dean and had a real conversation, toeing the line of being a fanboy and a real human being (this was tough, not gonna lie)
Once I arrived home, I emailed Tony and asked if I could write an article on what we’d learned at the seminar for his blog (my first taste of sweet, sweet audience hacking). Let’s break down this offer:
- This was a win for me, in that I got to speak to a much larger audience than mine
- This was a win for Tony in that he got more great content, curated by him to provide to his audience
- This was a win for his audience, in that they heard a different voice teaching a valuable lesson.
- You can check it out HERE.

*That’s what ya call a win-win-win

About 18 months later, through Tony, I connected with his wife, psychologist Dr. Lisa Lewis, when I needed to work through some personal issues.

That’s my boo (<— this is Tony speaking, not Gavin)

Then, when I shifted to business coaching and started my podcast in 2020, I invited Lisa to come on the show, knowing she had worked with my audience in the past. She, of course, crushed it. You can listen to that interview HERE.
Once Lisa’s episode released, I asked if she knew anyone who may be interested in joining the show and she recommended Tony. This is something I do with every guest, looking to have more great conversation and hoping to grow my own circle in the process
I was incredibly excited to interview someone with such a large audience, but I didn’t stop there
Of course, Tony and I had an awesome conversation – HERE – but who knows how many of you are willing to go listen to 60 minutes or more when you’re used to reading a blog

I recently reached out to Tony and pitched writing this article, knowing a big chunk of his audience is trainers
And here we are…

via GIPHY

Here Are Some of the Key Takeaways Inside That 5 Year Timeline

1. Focus on Win-Win Relationships

This almost seems like it’s too easy, but I actually want to overstate this point.

Win-win relationships hinge on the fact that you both get something you feel is valuable out of the exchange. When you come into a potential relationship only thinking about what you can extract from it, I can guarantee you no one will win.

How did I do this with Tony and how can you do this with other influencers or possible referral sources in your space?

I had a real conversation with him.

Based on said conversation, I felt like there was a possibility I could help his audience and took a leap of faith in asking him (more on that later).

In other words, I came with a giving hand, knowing specifically what value I could provide to make Tony’s life easier.

But this doesn’t just apply to people whose audiences you’re trying to hack. Building relationships is the foundation upon which the fitness industry has been built and upon which you will soon want to build your marketing efforts.

How many of you have received an ice cold DM, punching you in the face with their pitch and bombarding you with questions before you even had a chance to tell them to beat it?

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And just like I wouldn’t tell you to walk into a bar, buy a potential mate a drink and get down on one knee to propose, I won’t ever tell you to do that.

Conversations are an incredible way to build relationships, but there’s also the hidden benefit of consistently providing content kindling for you.

By starting conversations with as many people as you can; from fellow coaches to potential clients, you allow yourself to learn about their beliefs and struggles, and get a better glimpse into the mind of those you’re hoping to help.

I regularly start a dozen conversations a week, and while it very rarely goes directly from DM conversation to new client, it seems that is a non-negotiable process that has allowed us to earn as much income in the first half of 2021 as we did in all of 2020.

From my conversations, I’ve been able to:

Talk to 40+ new people on my podcast (most of whom I’ve never met in person)
Create content directly from what potential clients have said they’re struggling with
Create free mini-courses and resources that actually get people results (LINK)
Actually earn new clients (about 50% of our clients come from DM conversations)

So, ask yourself how you can start more conversations every single week and bring something valuable to the person you’re speaking to.

This really is the essence of service, isn’t it?

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

I was scared shitless when I asked to write this article for Tony. I may have actually closed my eyes when I hit send.

Why?

Because I know he’s good friends and former business partners with Pete Dupuis, another excellent voice in the business mentorship space.

I also know he’s quite picky about what shows up on this blog and didn’t want to overstep my boundaries.

Finally, I didn’t know if he’d actually find what I had to say valuable.

Turns out, I was wrong.

And I would’ve never known that had I not asked.

I would’ve never known that had I not asked to guest blog in 2016, or asked Lisa on the podcast in 2020 or asked him on the podcast in 2021.

There’s a key piece that so many of us, as coaches, miss out on.

The simple, yet often scary act of asking.

Once you realize you can create a win-win for someone who serves a similar population, asking if you can provide value.

Once a potential client shows interest in your offer, asking if they want to learn more.

Once a prospect is on the phone and has told you their biggest problems, asking if they want to enroll.

Jeez, if you’ve ever been on a date in your life, you’ve had to ask, right?

But this is where so many people get tripped up, since they’re not willing to put themselves in a position where they may get rejected.

But know that hearing NO is not the opposite of hearing YES. In fact, hearing NO is often the only path to hearing YES more often.

I have heard countless NO’s when pitching blog articles and other free resources just like this one.

I have heard countless NO’s and been ghosted more times than I’d like to admit when having conversations with potential clients in the DMs.

And I’ve heard almost as many NO’s as I have YES’s on sales calls.

But asking is the only way you’ll ever know for sure.

3. Bring the Fire

This should go without saying, but make sure, whenever you are asked to deliver, that you bring the fucking fire.

If someone you deeply respect and look up to is on your podcast, leave them feeling great with a memorable conversation instead of just asking questions like a robot.

(Side note: I actually looked up Tony’s baseball stats and story and we had a great conversation around it).

Team pic from Tony’s Freshman year. Can you spot him?

If you’re given the green light to present to someone’s audience or clients, make sure you’re well prepared and provide good energy while presenting and answering questions.

And if you’re welcomed to a guest blog and they ask you to tie in a Wu Tang reference, you better start listening to some Wu Tang songs (Protect Ya’ Neck is probably about to wake my wife up as I write this).

SIDE NOTE (from Tony): I told Gavin that the only “rules” I had to writing a guest post for me was to 1) make it actionable (check), 2) keep it to ~1500 words or less (check), and 3) include a Wu-Tang Clan reference. I was kidding (but fuck yes, check)

So, while you can go about your days attempting to implant ideas into your potential clients’ subconscious brain, there’s a better way.

Use the relationships you’ve already created, add more value to them and find new connections, simply by asking.

And please, stop trying to shout louder like all your competitors. It’s not a good look and it’s only going to get more and more difficult.

About the Author

As a Kinesiology graduate, Gavin McHale quickly realized that following the traditional business model would lead to trading more time for more money.

Over the course of 8 years, Gavin built a 6-figure hybrid training business before founding the Maverick Coaching Academy in 2019.

IG – @gavinmchale1

The Coach’s Playground Podcast

maverickcoachingacademy.ca

August 13, 2021 Tony

podcast

6 Figure Strength Coach: Building a Brand Within a Brand

I wanted to share my latest podcast appearance on the 6-Figure Strength Coach Show hosted by Gavin McHale.

Copyright: forestrun / 123RF Stock Photo

Building a Brand Within a Brand

In this episode we cover a few topics:

How I was able to build my own brand underneath the umbrella of Cressey Sports Performance.
Why getting outside of your comfort zone is a good thing with regards to building alternate revenue streams.
The story behind why I turned down a DI baseball scholarship.
Ways to be successful in the fitness industry without owning a gym.
LOLcats⁴

Just two dudes talking about whatever comes up.

I think you’ll dig it.

Because, you know, I’m cool…;o)

Listen on Spotify HERE.

iTunes HERE.

May 6, 2021 Tony

Assessment Corrective Exercise mobility Program Design

4 Ways to Fire Up Your Belly

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Gavin McHale, a Certified Exercise Physiologist from Winnipeg, Canada (in his words, straight north of Fargo). Gavin attended a workshop I did with Dean Somerset in Minneapolis a few weeks ago and he wanted to write up some of the things he picked up from it.

Read on to find a breakdown of how you can clean up your shoulders and hips, lift more weight and allow yourself to relax, just by changing the way you breathe.

Copyright: sunlight19 / 123RF Stock Photo

4 Ways to Fire Up Your Belly

Let me paint you a picture.

A client or physical therapist refers someone to me and they walk in ready to get their ass handed to them. After our initial conversation, I tell them we’re going to start the session with some breathing drills.

They often glaze over and assume it means something else, until I tell them to lie down and take a deep breath.

“Wait, you just want me to breathe?”

“That is correct.”

Almost every time, I can provide a new client a take-home benefit with a couple of breathing cues, all inside the first 2 minutes on the gym floor.

Image courtesy of Crossfit Southbay, via A.D.A.M

Why, you ask? Well there are lots of reasons why breathing is a good practice to get into, and I’m not talking about the breathing we do mindlessly, day-in day-out. I’m talking about mindful “diaphragmatic” or “belly” breathing.

We live in what I’d call a very sympathetic world. Our sympathetic nervous system, also known as fight-or-flight, is cranked up all the time. We have to drive to work in traffic, get a project done, feed the kids, manage the mortgage… you get the point.

All this stress kind of shuts down our parasympathetic nervous system, also known as rest-and-digest. You know, the one that fixes all our shit? Ya, that one.

The diaphragm is actually intended to be our body’s primary breathing muscle, but as a consequence of modern life, it’s been shunned like Tony and I are by all those cat haters (I see you). Instead, the much less efficient breathing muscles of the upper chest and neck then must take over, creating all sorts of issues.

Although it doesn’t look very sexy, diaphragamatic breathing allows us to create a better balance between fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest, and could be the key to fixing a lot of movement issues as well.

When we breathe, this dome-shaped muscle contracts, allowing the lungs to take in air. What we should see is the stomach rising as the dome compresses the abdominal cavity. This is why I tell my clients to try and “get fat” if they’re having trouble figuring it out. I often see the exact opposite, and while it may present a more pleasing side profile, it only allows the lungs to partially expand and results in weaker core stabilization.

So why do we do it?

Not only is it a good idea to get back to the muscles we should be using for an activity like breathing, but an under-active or dysfunctional diaphragm is going to lead to movement issues as well. Neck and shoulder issues are the bulk of what I see, but back and hip irritation have also been linked to breathing concerns.

Proximal stability leads to distal mobility.

If we can create more stability in the core and centre of the body, the limbs and other areas where we need to be more mobile are free to do their job as well.

Test/Re-Test

Below, I’m going to give you several tests to try based on areas that you may have trouble with or issues you want to clean up. The protocol here is to test the movement, correct with a breathing drill, the re-test to see if it got better.

If it did, great! If not, we may have to do some more digging. The breathing correctives are outlined at the end of the article.

1. Shoulder Issues

I found it very interesting how many people had shoulder pain and dysfunction when I first started training. I cleaned up their technique, had them pull way more than they pushed and focused on opening up their thoracic spine. Things got better, but never really got better, ya know?

Then I went further down the rabbit hole and recognized there was more to it. I realized that almost all shoulder problems are somehow tied to breathing mechanics, and a couple of simple drills can make a world of difference, especially when done consistently. Here are two (related) tests to see where problems may lie and outline the path to correcting them.

Shoulder Test/Re-Test #1: Active and Passive Shoulder Flexion

*Ideally, the shirt is off for all tests of shoulder function. Although it can be awkward, this allows someone to see exactly what the scapulae are doing during these movements.

You may have to stand against a wall to do this properly, but stand tall and proud and slowly brings your hands up over your head in front of you. Your ribcage should stay down (the back should stay against the wall) and the head should stay in a packed position (no poke-necks).

How high did your arms get? Was there any pain?

Here is Tony showing an example of a bad active shoulder flexion (left) and a good active shoulder flexion (right). If you’re not careful, you may think the “bad” test is better than the good one. A closer looks reveals that Tony is flaring his ribcage, overextending his lower back and poking his head forward. The test on the right is a true test of his active shoulder flexion. Not bad T, but why is your shirt still on?

The passive test is the same as the active test, only lying down on your back. The knees should be bent and feet flat on the floor or table. The ribcage should stay down and lower back flush to ensure a true test.

We will review correctives later in the article.

Shoulder Test/Re-Test #2: Scapulo-Humeral Rhythm (probably need a friend for this one)

Stand in the same position as your active shoulder flexion test, but this time we’re going to bring the arms overhead by your sides, trying to touch the backs of your hands together above your head.

As the arms move overhead, the scapula should rotate ½ as much as the humerus does. So, to get overhead (180 degrees total), the humerus should rotate upward 120 degrees and the scapula should rotate the remaining 60 degrees.

Image courtesy of BEST Performance Group

If there is any pain with this movement, you should see a registered healthcare professional (or refer to one, if you’re a trainer).

However, if you’re a trainer and you notice the scapula isn’t moving as it should (i.e. the medial border isn’t at 60 degrees) see if you just help it along by manually moving it to the desired position.

Better? Great, let’s get to breathing and fix that shit. Still painful? Refer.

2. Back Issues

Everyone who’s ever had or worked with people with back issues raise their hand! Ya, a lot of us have, myself included and it’s no fun. Whether it’s chronic back pain or a little tweak here and there, worrying about blowing your back out is a real concern for many people.

They’re scared to lift things around the house, scared to bend over the wrong way and especially scared to lift a shit-ton of weight off the floor in the gym (covered later). We can’t be having that… let’s fix it.

I said that lower back and shoulder issues can be related because their main structures are intimately connected via the thoracolumbar fascia. You can see the lats (major players in the shoulder) and the glutes (major players in the lower back) in the image below. If you have issues getting your arms overhead, you may very well have lower back problems as well, and vice versa.

Image courtesy of Neil Asher Healthcare

Back Test/Re-Test #1: Active Straight Leg Raise

This one is nice and simple. Lie on your back, legs straight. Lift one leg as high as you can before you stop or you feel pain. The knee should stay straight. Note how high you got. A good score is 90 degrees with no movement in the opposite leg.

Image courtesy of www.FunctionalMovement.com

Back Test-Re-Test #2: Passive Hip Rotation (bring that friend back, you’ll need em)

Lie flat on your back with legs straight and lift one leg. Bend the leg at the knee, coming up to 90 degrees hip flexion. Move the hip into external rotation (foot to opposite hip) and internal rotation (foot outside hip) while supporting the knee. Note the angle achieved with each movement. A good score is 90 degrees from midline for external rotation and 45 degrees for internal.

Photo courtesy of geekymedics.com.

LIFTING HEAVY A.F.

(if you have to ask what it means, you’re not ready for it)

There’s no question that if you’ve ever done a heavy squat or deadlift and not wrecked your back, you know that you need to be able to create massive amounts of tension through your core. If you can’t, you get hurt, pretty simple.

The diaphragm plays a massive role in stabilizing the core. It forms the lid on the “core box”, working with the obliques, QL, pelvic floor and transverse abdominus. Being able to take in air and maintain a high-pressure area in the abdominal cavity is crucial for lifting heavy (another reason I start with breathing drills).

RELAXATION

Remember that sympathetic world I spoke about earlier where most of us live that wreaks havoc on our breathing patterns? Needless to say, it can also create difficulty with relaxation and sleep.

I’m pretty sure most of us (and our clients) can agree we’d like to sleep better.

So, when you watch the videos below, don’t just put them in the “workout” box, but remember they can also have a positive impact on your ability to relax and even fall asleep.

Not only will these breathing drills assist in improving movement patterns, they’ll set up the context for creating tension before and during a heavy lift.

THE BREATHING CORRECTIVES

Prone Crocodile Breathing

If you’re new to the diaphragmatic breathing game, this is your place to start. Maybe you scored poorly on one of the above tests or you have an itch to throw more weight on the bar but aren’t yet comfortable doing so.

Either way, give this drill a shot before moving on.

Prone Lengthening

This one is particularly useful if you have trouble with your shoulder and/or struggled with the shoulder flexion and scapulo-humeral tests. Many people’s shoulder dysfunction comes from a number of factors, one of those being tight/ropey serratus anterior. This drill will help to release that muscle, allowing it to do it’s part in moving the scapula to get that arm overhead.

The serratus anterior (SA) works in concert with the upper traps (UT) and lower traps (LT) to allow the scapula to upwardly rotate.

Note From TG: props to Dr. Evan Osar for introducing me to this exercise a few years ago.

Crook Lying Belly Breathing

This is another great beginner drill as the lower back is supported and the table or floor can provide external feedback. This is also the best position for belly breathing, allowing the belly to fully expand. Along with the others, this one is great for those with back or hip issues.

Quadruped Breathing

This is another great drill for those with issues rotating that scap when going overhead. The serratus anterior is a massive player and if we can get it rotating properly (or at least better than it was), we may be able to provide relief and learn what it is we need to focus on moving forward.

So there you have it, a good, hard look at what we should be looking for and how to make it better, just by changing the way we breathe.

One final note for trainers, make sure you try these yourself as you may find that different cues work better. If you do, please tell me. I want to know all your secrets!

OBLIGATORY PROMOTIONAL PLUG FROM TG (sorry not sorry)

Pretty much everything discussed above is covered in more detail in mine and Dean Somerset’s Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint which is being released this week (Nov. 1st).

In fact the site goes LIVE tonight. You can check back HERE at midnight to get in on the action. It’s totally going to be like a Harry Potter book release! Except, you know, without wizards and Sorting Hats and shit.

Author’s Bio

Gavin McHale is a Certified Exercise Physiologist from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (straight North of Fargo).

He loves getting people to lift things they never imagined they would both in-person and online.

He also likes to lift said heavy things and, much like Tony, loves cats.

Check him out at www.gavinmchale.com.

October 31, 2016 Tony